Smallanthus sonchifolius leaf attenuates neuroinflammation

Ingestion of Bean Leaves Reduces Metabolic Complications and Restores Intestinal Integrity in C57BL/6 Mice with Obesity Induced by a High-Fat and High-Fructose Diet

Consumption of foods with fiber and compounds can promote gastrointestinal health and reduce obesity complications. Therefore, treatment with common bean leaves (BL) against obesity was evaluated in mice with a high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFFD) for 14 weeks. The bromatological and phytochemical characterization of BL were determined. Afterwards, the animals were supplemented with BL (10%) or a standard diet (SD) as a strategy to encourage a healthy diet for 12 additional weeks. Changes in body composition, lipid profile, and intestinal integrity were analyzed. The characterization of BL stood out for its content of 27.2% dietary fiber, total phenolics (475.04 mg/100 g), and saponins (2.2 mg/100 g). The visceral adipose tissue (VAT) decreased in the BL group by 52% compared to the HFFD group. Additionally, triglyceride levels were 23% lower in the BL consumption group compared to the HFFD group. The improvement in lipid profile was attributed to the 1.77-fold higher fecal lipid excretion in the BL consumption group compared to the HFFD group and the inhibition of pancreatic lipase by 29%. Furthermore, BL supplementation reduced the serum levels of IL-6 (4.4-fold) and FITC-dextran by 50% compared with those in the HFFD group. Metabolic endotoxemia was inhibited after BL supplementation (-33%) compared to the HFFD group. BL consumption as a treatment in obese mice reduces adipose tissue accumulation and improves the lipid profile. Furthermore, we report for the first time that BL consumption improves intestinal integrity.

Role of Network Pharmacology in Prediction of Mechanism of Neuroprotective Compounds

Network pharmacology is an emerging pioneering approach in the drug discovery process, which is used to predict the therapeutic mechanism of compounds using various bioinformatic tools and databases. Emerging studies have indicated the use of network pharmacological approaches in various research fields, particularly in the identification of possible mechanisms of herbal compounds/ayurvedic formulations in the management of various diseases. These techniques could also play an important role in the prediction of the possible mechanisms of neuroprotective compounds. The first part of the chapter includes an introduction on neuroprotective compounds based on literature. Further, network pharmacological approaches are briefly discussed. The use of network pharmacology in the prediction of the neuroprotective mechanism of compounds is discussed in detail with suitable examples. Finally, the chapter concludes with the current challenges and future prospectives.

Chemical profile and toxicogenetic safety assessment of Smallanthus sonchifolius (yacon) organic extracts

The interest in Smallanthus sonchifolius (yacon) has strongly resurfaced due to its multiple beneficial effects on human health. This study aimed at determining the toxicity and the chemical profile of an ethanol extract (EE) and a crude lactone mixture (CLM) of yacon leaves. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity tests were performed by the MTT assay and the alkaline version of the comet assay respectively. The phytochemical analysis, performed by chromatographic and spectroscopy techniques, revealed the presence of nine sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) and two acyclic diterpene acids. In all cases, cell viability was inversely proportional to the extract concentration employed. The effects obtained with the highest dose of EE were significantly different from those obtained with the negative and solvent controls. Conversely, no significant differences were observed between the lowest doses of EE and controls. As for CLM, all tested doses showed statistically significant increases, as compared to negative and solvent controls.

Alvarez KL, Aguilar-Pineda JA, Vera-Lopez KJ, Lino Cardenas CL. In Silico Analysis of Metabolites from Peruvian Native Plants as Potential Therapeutics against Alzheimer's Disease

Background: Despite research on the molecular bases of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), effective therapies against its progression are still needed. Recent studies have shown direct links between AD progression and neurovascular dysfunction, highlighting it as a potential target for new therapeutics development. In this work, we screened and evaluated the inhibitory effect of natural compounds from native Peruvian plants against tau protein, amyloid beta, and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) pathologic AD markers. Methods: We applied in silico analysis, such as virtual screening, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation (MD), and MM/GBSA estimation, to identify metabolites from Peruvian plants with inhibitory properties, and compared them to nicotinamide, telmisartan, and grapeseed extract drugs in clinical trials. Results: Our results demonstrated the increased bioactivity of three plants’ metabolites against tau protein, amyloid beta, and AT1R. The MD simulations indicated the stability of the AT1R:floribundic acid, amyloid beta:rutin, and tau:brassicasterol systems. A polypharmaceutical potential was observed for rutin due to its high affinity to AT1R, amyloid beta, and tau. The metabolite floribundic acid showed bioactivity against the AT1R and tau, and the metabolite brassicasterol showed bioactivity against the amyloid beta and tau. Conclusions: This study has identified molecules from native Peruvian plants that have the potential to bind three pathologic markers of AD.

Influence of Smallanthus sonchifolius (Yacon) on the Activity of Antidepressant Drugs in Mice

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the world that negatively affects the daily functioning of patients. Numerous studies are currently being conducted to examine the antidepressant potential of innovative synthetic compounds and herbal substances. Yacon, Smallantchus sonchifolius, belongs to plants with numerous health-beneficial properties. Yacon-based products are regarded as a functional food. In our study, we attempted to check whether administration of Yacon tuber extract would have an antidepressant effect in the forced swim test (FST) in mice and whether its intake could influence the activity of conventional antidepressant drugs with different mechanisms of action, i.e., imipramine hydrochloride, fluoxetine hydrochloride, and reboxetine mesylate. The spontaneous locomotor activity of the tested mice was also investigated to eliminate any false-positive results. We demonstrated that an intragastric administration of the Yacon tuber extract at a dose of 100 mg/kg induced the antidepressant-like behavior in the FST in mice and that a combined administration of the sub-effective doses of the Yacon extract (50 mg/kg) with imipramine hydrochloride (7.5 mg/kg), fluoxetine hydrochloride (20 mg/kg), or reboxetine mesylate (5 mg/kg) significantly reduced the immobility time of animals in this behavioral test. The obtained results were not affected by the increased locomotor activity of the tested subjects. In conclusion, our findings suggest that Yacon tuber extract is promising as an alternative mood-improving product since it possesses an antidepressant potential and it can acts synergistically with conventional antidepressant drugs.